The present invention relates in general to a workpiece cutting device and, in particular, to a new and useful device for beveling or cutting away the edge of a workpiece using a reciprocally moving tool moved by a drive head connected to the workpiece by a workpiece support arrangement.
In a prior art device of this kind, the adjustable workpiece support as well as a brace for the workpiece edge to be machined and, if provided, a hold-down opposite to the support, are mounted on a bracket. During operation, this device is engaged over the workpiece with the bracket being open to one side. The impact tool cuts a chip from the workpiece edge at every working stroke. The size of these chips, which are each in the shape of a triangular prism, depends on how far the workpiece edge projects into the range of motion of the cutting end of the tool. As a rule, such devices are employed to make one or more triangular or beveled welding edges on plate-shaped workpieces. Such welding edges are provided to facilitate welding the workpiece to other workpieces. Advantageously, both the support of the workpieces and the brace as well as the usually provided hold-down are adjustable to adapt especially to various thicknesses of workpieces, and also to change the width of the bevel.
To machine a flat bevel in steps, at least the cutting and face turned to the workpiece must be planar, so as to obtain a straight cutting edge. The lateral forces acting on the tool are very strong, so that the tool must be guided close to the cutting area. For reasons of stability, the clamping end of the tool has a larger cross section than the cutting end. Further, because of the tool holder, the cross sectional shape of the cutting end differs from that of the clamping end, as a rule. Usually, the cutting end has a rectangular cross section while the cross section of the clamping end is circular. The tool is subjected to wear and must periodically be reground or sharpened. For this purpose it must be removed from the tool holder. With the prior art device, this is possible only upon disassembling the entire bracket with the brace, the support, and the hold-down.